Pasar Malam Food Stalls Return To Crowds, Long Queues
Singaporeans have clearly missed night market food very much for the past two years.
Pasar malams have started popping up in our heartlands again, after two years of absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Perhaps what is most sorely missed is night market food — crowds and long queues are recently seen at the pasar malam food street set up outside West Mall in Bukit Batok.
Long queues, crowds
Around dinnertime, 8days.sg observes that long lines have started forming at stalls selling hearty food like Teochew oyster puffs, Ramly burgers, vadai and fried chicken.
Prices also seem higher than what we recall from pre-pandemic days, with snacks and drinks costing 50 cents to $1 more per item.
The atmosphere is festive and energetic; we sense palpable relief and happiness now that people are able to wander around pasar malams again.
The pasar malam organiser, TLK Events and Lighting, has also announced that it’s setting up night markets at Tanjong Pagar Plaza (now till May 23), Vista Point Blk 548 (May 14-29), Punggol MRT station (May 28 - Jun 12) and Pasir Ris Blk 440 and Blk 104 (May 30 - Jun 19).
The West Mall pasar malam is happening from now till May 22. Here is what we spotted in Bukit Batok:
Teochew Traditional Oyster Puffs
There’s seemingly insatiable demand for Teochew-style fried puffs. The oyster puff stall boasts one of the longest lines at the pasar malam.
Incidentally, the famed Teochew Meat Puff pasar malam stall has closed its Woodlands shop space - which it opened during the pandemic - and went back to being a roving night market stall. It’s currently at the Bedok Central pasar malam, till May 22, 2022.
Emo Snacks
Taiwanese street food eatery Emo Snacks, which has two dine-in outlets in Jurong and Anchorvale, has also set up pasar malam stalls like this one at West Mall, and an upcoming one at Vista Point on May 14. Meanwhile, its Blk 398 Jurong West Ave 1 shop will be closed until May 24.
The West Mall stall mainly sells a selection of Taiwanese fried chicken cutlets.
Gin Thye
Local confectionery Gin Thye also has a stall selling mao shan wang mochi balls and Portuguese egg tarts.
Ramly Burger
Unsurprisingly, there’s a queue for Ramly Burger. We see a stall assistant filling an entire grill with patties on omelettes to keep up with the demand.
The stall also sells other finger food like fishballs and sausages on sticks.
The Vadai Shop
The Vadai Shop is also doing brisk business, with a line extending almost to the MRT station beside the stall.
Siam Thailand Food
Even though we can now travel to Thailand, customers still throng the Thai food stall.
Prices seem to have been kept constant from what we recall, with dishes like pork basil rice and prawn salad going for $6 each, and tom yum soup for $6.50.
Thai Tea
We remember paying around $2 to $2.50 for a 500ml cup of Thai milk tea at pasar malams pre-Covid. It’s now $3.
Sweet Potato Ball
There are more teenagers going for this fried sweet potato ball stall, which is selling its snack at $5 for 10 pieces and $10 for 25 pieces.
Tutu Kueh
What’s a pasar malam experience without tutu kueh? These are sold from a generically-named stall called Snacks Corner, which occupies three units and also serves classic pasar malam fare like Taiwanese sausages and oyster mee sua.
Arabica Kebab
And of course, the shawarma man is back. Yay.
Photos: Yip Jieying
